Automobile lock



E. J. B. lRVlNG AUToMoBILE Loox Feb. 23

Filed May.16, 1924 lNvENTbR Edward J.Ifr/'f7g,

' ATTORNEY UbliTiLD STTES EDWARD J. B. RVNG, 0F TRAIL, BEETTLSH COLUMBA, CANADA.

AUTOMOBILE LQCK..

Application inea nay ie, 1924 semi in). marea To all' whom it may camcom:

lie it known that ltnwann J. B. nvlNG, citizen of the lominion ot Canada, residing at Trail, in the Province ot British Colui'nbia, Canada., have invented certain new and useful lin'iprovements in JAutomobile Locks, ot' which the following is a speciiication. v Y

This invention relates to an automatic lock for the eelt-starting mechanism of an automobile engine, which lock will retain the pinion ot the self-starting mechanism in the out-ot-use position, that is, clear of engagement with the gear wheel on the driving shaft of the engine. This retaining means can only be released by the party having a. key for that purpose.

hen the lock has been released and when the pinion of the self-starter, having accomplished the starting of the engine, moves endwise along its screw and out of mesh with the gear wheel on the engine shaft, it will again automatically latch in the outoit-use position to prevent its being again moved into mesh, unless its retaining latch is released with the key in the possession of the owner or authorized driver' of the ma v I of the starting 4mechanism having accomchine.

rlhe means by which these results are attained is fully described in the following specification,ireterenee being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which: y

Fig. l is a vertical section showing the pinion of the seltstarter as retained against movement into mesh with the gear wheel ot the engine. Y v

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a section of the lock release to an enlarged scale.

ln these drawings 2 represents the threaded sh'att of the self-starting mechanism, such as a Bendix drive, and 3 the driving pinion of that mechanism, which is "endwise movable along the screw of the shaft 2 to bring it into mesh with the gear teeth l of the engine :fly wheel. rl`his pinion 3 automatically moves backward along the screw out ot engagement with the gear teeth l when the speed of the engine exceeds that ot the self-starting mechanism.

Secured to or integral with the hub of the pinion 3 is a collar 5 ,leaving a circumferential groove 6 between that collar and the body of the pinion. The outer edge orp this collar is bevelled, as shown in Fig.

l, to engage the corresliondingly bevelled end ot a'latch bolt i', the stein oiZ which bolt is endwise movable in a tubular guide 9'.

This tubular guide 9 of the bolt stem il passes upward through the vcasing 11 of the starting mechanism and through the 'foot-board l2 to a position convenient to the driver, that is, adjacent the instrument board, rlhe upper end of itis closed with a cap or plug and between this plug and th-e upper end ot the stem 8 is a light spring 10 which holds the latch bolt at the lower limit et its movement.

Secured to the guide tube 9 adjacent the upper end ot the latch bolt stem is a lock 13 ot approved make, the key 14: ot which, :ritter passing the wards ot the lock, will engage the square shoulderot a notch 15 in the stem 8 and litt that stem a suiiicient amount to release the end of the 'latch bolt 7 trom `the collar 5, and will permit the.

pinion 3 to be moved endwise on its screw 2 to mesh lwith the gear teeth l and effect starting ot the engine.

When hold of the hey 14 isreleased, the spring 1iOwill carry the latch bolt down to its normal position, so that when the pinion plished its work, is retired out ot' mesh with the gear teeth l it is automatically latched in the out-o-use position.

Hai/ing now particularly described my invention, l hereby declare that what l claim 1 as new and desire to be-protected in by Letters Patent, is:

l. An anti-theft device for an automobile,

comprising the combination with the driv ing pinion of the starting mechanism, ot means, releasable vwith a key, 'for retaining the pinion in the out of mesh position in relation to the geared wheel of the engine shaft.

Si. in anti-theft device for an automobile, comprising the combination with the pinion ot the selistartng mechanism of an automobile, of means for automatically retaining` it in the out of mesh position in relation to the driving wheel ot the engine shaft, and a key tor releasing said retaining means.

2l. An anti-theft device Jfor an automobile, eomprisin the combination with the pinion ot the self-starting mechanism, of a latch bolt adapted to automatically engage the pinion ot' the starting mechanism/and retain it in the out or" mesh position, a spring tending to hold the latch in the retaining position, and a lock protected means for lifting the latch and releasing the pinion.

4:. An anti-theft device for an automobile, comprising the combination With the pinion of the self-starting mechanism, of a latch bolt designed to automatically retain the pinion in the out of mesh position in relation to the driving Wheel of the engine shaft, and-means protected With a lock for releasing the latch and permitting the pinion to be moved into mesh.

5. An anti-theft device for an automobile, comprising the combination with the pinion of the self-starting mechanism, which pinion has a circumferential grooife around its hub, a latch vloolt adapted to fit the groove and retain the pinion against endivise movement, said bolt having a stem which is vertically slidable lin a tube secured to the frame of the machine, a spring tending to hold the latch in the groove of the pinion, and a ke adapted to engage the stem and lift the latch and release the pinion.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

EDWARD J. B. IRVING. 

